Thursday, July 28, 2005

One campaign ends as another begins

Today marked an historic moment for Britain and Northern Ireland. Following the release of IRA bomber Sean Kelly, an IRA statement declared an official end to the 30 year campaign that has seen thousands killed. All IRA units have been ordered to dump their arms and to work towards a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Of course, only time will tell if the statement holds true. There is always a risk that splinter groups (such as the Real IRA) could derail any progress. However, this is certainly a cause for hope.

The irony of the timing of this announcement could not be more stark. As one military campaign against Britain ends, another is in its infancy. We can only hope that our leaders learn the lessons of 30 years of bloodshed and prevent this new threat from dominating our lives for another 30 years.